Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has said catching Manchester City or holding off Manchester United in the Premier League table is “irrelevant” to his plans.
Spurs occupy the fifth position which is likely to ensure Uefa Champions League football in 2024/25 at the end of this season, standing eight points above sixth-placed Manchester United with nine games remaining of each sides’ campaign.
Postecoglou’s players will face leaders Liverpool, second-placed Arsenal and third-placed City during their run-in, but the Australian could not give an answer when he was asked whether United are in contention to overhaul them.
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“Can you see us challenging Manchester City?” asked Postecoglou. “They’re only eight points ahead of us.
“You either think we can catch Man City, who are eight points ahead of us, or you think Man United can catch us.
“To me, it’s all irrelevant. What’s important for me is… to finish the season strong and keep building on the foundation of being a team that hopefully, in 12 months’ time, people are looking at us differently and talking about us differently.”
Premier League table: City third
With fourth-placed Aston Villa five points behind City, the title race looks certain to be between the current top three.
Liverpool are two points clear of Arsenal after being Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 at home on Sunday before the Gunners drew 0-0 at the reigning champions.
United are four points above seventh-placed West Ham with a game in hand on the Hammers.
Erik ten Hag’s players dropped points for the third time in four matches with a 1-1 draw at Brentford on Saturday which further damaged their fading chances of competing in elite European club competition next season.
A trip to midtable Chelsea awaits on Thursday in the first of two tricky games in four days, followed by the visit of Liverpool on Sunday.
The Reds are 19 points above United and will be seeking revenge for their extra-time defeat at Old Trafford in the FA Cup quarter-finals on March 17.
